Mini Apple Pies

These easy mini apple pies have a press-in cream cheese crust with a spiced apple pie filling and a brown sugar pecan crumble topping! Bite-sized apple pies baked in muffin tins are perfect for cookie plates, easy party desserts or even afternoon snacks.

These bite-sized treats have a cinnamon cardamom apple filling with a vanilla brown sugar crumble topping. You could also make a big batch of this easy apple compote and use that for the mini apple pie filling.

This cream cheese pastry is flaky and rich, and contrasts nicely with the slightly tart spiced apple filling, but you could use store-bought pie crust or make this foolproof vodka pie crust. The easy crumble topping has pecans but this streusel topping recipe is nut-free and would also be delightful!

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Unsalted butter: Keeps the dough flaky and gives the shells that short, crisp bite after baking. Keep it cold until the moment it goes into the dough, which is what I always do regardless of the recipe.
• Cream cheese: Adds just enough fat and acidity to keep the dough tender and pliable, making it easier to press into the small cavities of a mini muffin tin without cracking.
• Apples: Peeled and diced small so every mini pie gets a consistent bite. Firm varieties like Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or Braeburn hold their shape through the stovetop cook and the oven.
• Light brown sugar: Sweetens the filling and contributes a mild molasses depth. Not packed, because the apples release enough moisture on their own and you do not want an overly wet filling.
• Fresh lemon juice: Brightens the filling and keeps the apples from browning before they hit the pan. Fresh is better here, though bottled works in a pinch.
• Cinnamon, ground cardamom, and ground nutmeg: These three spices together give the filling warmth without any single note overpowering. The cardamom in particular lifts the whole profile in a way that straight cinnamon alone does not.
• Cornstarch: Thickens the filling as it cooks so the finished interior is jammy and set, not watery. It also helps the filling stay put once the pies are out of the oven. You could also use tapioca starch.
• Toasted pecans: Finely chopped so they integrate into the streusel rather than sitting on top as large pieces. Toasting them first intensifies the flavor significantly.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations on This Mini Apple Crumble Pies

• Change the spice. Use my apple pie spice, pumpkin spice recipe, gingerbread spice mix (coming soon!) or speculoos spice mix to the filling and stresuel in place of the individual spices for a more rounded, warmly spiced flavor.
• Citrus Swap. Use fresh orange juice or spiced apple cider instead of lemon juice in the filling: the orange brings a softer brightness and the cider deepens the apple flavor.
• Salted Caramel Filling. Stir a spoonful of salted caramel sauce directly into the cooked apple filling before spooning it into the shells for a richer, more indulgent interior. Or you can drizzle it on top!
• Use a traditional pie crust & make a lattice: These pies would also be great with my all-butter pie crust or Crisco pie crust. You can either keep the streusel topping or follow my tutorial on how to lattice pie crust to make a miniature lattice top.

Professional Tips

• Streusel topping makes these pies easy. While tiny lattice toppings are adorable, they aren’t very practical. The streusel not only tastes great, but it makes the whole pie easier. Plus you can use any left over topping for my Berry Crumble Recipe!
• Cut the apples small for the filling. Unlike my apple pie cookies, the apple filling isn’t pre-cooked, which makes these pies super easy, but that means the apples need to be cut small. This ensures the filling will cook and soften in the time it takes the crust to bake.
• Don’t over-think it. Divide the dough by eye into the mini muffin tins and press it in. Fill the cups to the top and cover with streusel. Bake until the crust is golden brown.
• Cool completely & use a small offset spatula if you need it. Once the mini pies are cool, they will twist out of the muffin tins. If they don’t twist easily, use a small offset spatula or paring knife to gently lift them out.

How to Make Mini Apple Crumble Pies

Start with the apple filling and crumble topping so everything is ready to go once your shells are pressed and waiting. Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Preheat the oven and make the cream cheese crust. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place flour in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl. Cut butter and cream cheese into cubes and add it to the flour. Either mix the flour mixture on low in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or cut it in by hand using a pastry blender or two knives. Continue until the dough holds together in a ball. (photo 1 & 2)

You can also make the crust in a food processor. Simply add all the ingredients and pulse until a smooth dough forms. It will take less than a minute. If you have one, I highly suggest this method!

Step 2: Divide the dough into 24 portions. Shape the dough into a log, divide it in half, cut each half into thirds, then cut each third into 4 pieces, giving you 24 roughly equal portions. The dough is forgiving enough that you can pinch off a bit from a larger piece and press it onto a smaller one to even things out, which is what I always do, because perfect uniformity on the first pass is not happening.

Step 3: Press the dough into the muffin tin. Roll each into a ball to make them a little more finished. For me, it’s a fine line between “rustic” and “a hot mess.” Press each piece into one cup of a miniature muffin tin to create a little crust. (photo 3)

Be careful that none of the sides or the bottom get too thin. This will cause the filling to escape and glue itself to the sides of the muffin pan. If one needs a bit more dough, find a chubby ball and steal a bit of dough for that one. A classic robbing Peter to pay Paul scenario.

Step 4: Make the apple filling. Combine the peeled, diced apples with the brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. Toss to coat evenly, then taste and adjust the sugar, lemon, or spices to your preference before adding anything else. Once you are happy with the balance, add the cornstarch and toss again to coat. (photo 4)

Step 5: Make the pecan crumble topping. Stir the vanilla into the melted butter in a separate bowl, then add the brown sugar, flour, and finely chopped pecans. Stir with a fork until everything is evenly moistened. The mixture should hold together when you squeeze a handful, then break apart into crumbles when you release it. If it is still too dry, add melted butter one teaspoon at a time — but go carefully here, because too much butter will make the crumble greasy rather than crisp and sandy. (photos 4 & 6)

Chop the pecans finely. If the pieces are too large, they prevent the crumble from clumping properly, and you will end up with a loose, uneven topping instead of those satisfying clusters.

Step 6: Fill the pastry shells. Spoon about a teaspoon of apple filling into each unbaked shell. The filling should come right to the top of the crust — this is intentional, because it will cook down in the oven and you want a generous ratio of fruit to crust in the finished pie. (photo 7)

Step 7: Top with crumble and bake. Press a mound of crumble onto each filled shell, piling it slightly higher than the rim. More is more here, which I love — a thin layer of crumble will disappear into the filling as it bakes. Bake at 325°F convection or 350°F conventional for 25 to 30 minutes, until the filling is visibly bubbling around the edges and both the crumble and the pastry edges have taken on a golden brown color. Start checking at 25 minutes, because these are small and can go from golden to overdone quickly. (photo 8-9)

If you’re worried about your mini pies bubbling over, you can always place a baking sheet lined with parchment paper on the rack below them!

Step 8: Cool completely before removing. Let the pies cool fully in the tin before attempting to remove them. If you try to lift them while warm, the shells are still soft and will crack, which is completely normal if it happens, but easy to avoid with patience. Once cool, spin each pie gently in its cup to release the edges, then press down lightly on one side to pop it out cleanly. (photo 10)

Recipe FAQs

Before You Go

These mini apple pies, with their buttery lattice-topped crusts and warmly spiced filling, are the kind of project that rewards every bit of effort. If you want to keep exploring, browse all my Pie and Tart Recipes or make this bourbon pecan pie next!